Stabbed 15 times; assailants leave dagger on victim’s body

Mysuru: An auto driver was murdered near the Fire Brigade Station at Saraswathipuram in the heart of city last midnight allegedly by a group of men who booked the vehicle on rent to go to Bogadi. The assailants had stabbed the victim’s body over 15 times with a dagger and had left the weapon on the back of his body.

The victim is 28-year-old S. Manu alias Johnny, son of Siddappa. He owned an autorickshaw (KA-09 C-2023) and was residing at his uncle Mahadev’s place at Muneshwaranagar on Nanjangud Road. Manu’s parents lived in Bengaluru and had requested Mahadev to provide a space for Manu to live.

Next month, Manu was set to marry a girl with whom he had a relationship and last month, his grandmother had passed away, Police said. According to residents of Muneshwaranagar and the Police, during the funeral of his grandmother, Manu had fought with some people in the area. The Police suspect this might be the motive behind the murder.

Manu stayed at his fiancée’s place on Saturday and had   accordingly informed his uncle. Yesterday when he did not return home, Mahadev and other family members searched for Manu at some of his friends’ places and his fiancée’s house. At around 1.45 am today, the Police called Mahadev to inform about the murder.

Lakshmipuram Police had got information about a body lying by the side of the road near the Saraswathipuram underbridge (a few metres from the Fire Brigade Station) at around 1.30 am. The Police rushed to the spot and found Manu’s body and his autorickshaw parked nearby. On search, they recovered Manu’s identity documents and informed the relatives.

The body was lying in a pool of blood with stab injuries all over Manu’s body. Police said that though Manu was well-built and resisted the attack, he was, however, overpowered by the assailants. The killers had left the dagger on the back of the victim and fled the spot.

Initial investigations have revealed that a group of people hired Manu’s auto at around 9.30 pm and asked him to go to Bogadi. After taking a drop, the assailants followed Manu’s auto in a vehicle and stopped his auto near the Saraswathipuram underbridge.

The killers then pulled out Manu from the auto and began indiscriminately attacking him. Police said that the attack took place between 12.30 am and 1.15 am, said the Police.

A special team has been formed to nab the attackers and the Police said that they have definite clues about the killers.

DCP (Law and Order) N. Vishnuvardhana and Krishnaraja ACP Dharmappa visited the spot. Dog squad and fingerprint experts were pressed  into service.